Appliance having a user interface panel and a beverage dispenser
First Claim
1. An appliance comprising:
- a housing;
a user interface panel supported by the housing and including a touch screen; and
a computer programmed to operate with the user interface panel to;
(a) control operation of;
(i) a dispensing mechanism at least partially coupled to the user interface panel, (ii) a water supply mechanism in fluid communication with the dispensing mechanism, and (iii) a drink supply mechanism in fluid communication with the dispensing mechanism, said drink supply mechanism configured to obtain drink supply from each of a plurality of replaceable drink supply containers;
(b) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different drink supplies in the plurality of drink supply containers, wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply containers is a concentrate,(c) receive, via the touch screen, at least one input of a selection of one of said plurality of different displayed images,(d) cause the dispensing mechanism to dispense a first beverage corresponding to the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images,(e) receive a drink supply code for a replacement drink supply container, said drink supply code being associated with said replacement drink supply container,(f) determine if said received drink supply code is valid by comparing said received drink supply code to one or more drink supply authorization codes associated with one or more authorized replacement drink supply containers for the appliance, and(g) if the received drink supply code is valid, enable the dispensing mechanism to dispense a second beverage using a drink supply in said replacement drink supply container.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An appliance including a housing, a dispenser, and a water supply mechanism. The appliance includes a drink supply mechanism configured to removably hold a plurality of drink supply containers, a user interface panel, and a computer. The computer is configured to: cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different beverages which correspond to a drink supply in at least one of the plurality of drink supply containers held by the drink supply mechanism, enable the user interface panel to receive an input from a user of a selected one of the plurality of different displayed images, and after receiving the input from the user of the selected one of the plurality of different displayed images, cause the dispenser to dispense the beverage corresponding to the selected image.
454 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a user interface panel supported by the housing and including a touch screen; and a computer programmed to operate with the user interface panel to; (a) control operation of;
(i) a dispensing mechanism at least partially coupled to the user interface panel, (ii) a water supply mechanism in fluid communication with the dispensing mechanism, and (iii) a drink supply mechanism in fluid communication with the dispensing mechanism, said drink supply mechanism configured to obtain drink supply from each of a plurality of replaceable drink supply containers;(b) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different drink supplies in the plurality of drink supply containers, wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply containers is a concentrate, (c) receive, via the touch screen, at least one input of a selection of one of said plurality of different displayed images, (d) cause the dispensing mechanism to dispense a first beverage corresponding to the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (e) receive a drink supply code for a replacement drink supply container, said drink supply code being associated with said replacement drink supply container, (f) determine if said received drink supply code is valid by comparing said received drink supply code to one or more drink supply authorization codes associated with one or more authorized replacement drink supply containers for the appliance, and (g) if the received drink supply code is valid, enable the dispensing mechanism to dispense a second beverage using a drink supply in said replacement drink supply container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An appliance comprising:
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a housing; a user interface panel supported by the housing and including a touch screen; and a computer programmed to operate with the user interface panel to; (a) control operation of;
(i) a dispensing mechanism at least partially coupled to the user interface panel, (ii) a water supply mechanism in fluid communication with the dispensing mechanism, and (iii) a drink supply mechanism in fluid communication with the dispensing mechanism, said drink supply mechanism configured to obtain drink supply from each of a plurality of replaceable drink supply containers;(b) cause the user interface panel to display a plurality of different images, each image associated with a different one of a plurality of different drink supplies in the plurality of drink supply containers, wherein the drink supply in each of the drink supply containers is a concentrate, (c) receive, via the touch screen, at least one input of a selection of one of said plurality of different displayed images, (d) cause the dispensing mechanism to dispense a first beverage corresponding to the selected one of said plurality of different displayed images, (e) receive a drink supply code for a replacement drink supply container to be held in the drink supply mechanism, said drink supply code being associated with said replacement drink supply container, (f) determine if said received drink supply code is valid, and (g) if the received drink supply code is valid, enable the dispensing mechanism to dispense a second beverage using a drink supply in said replacement drink supply container. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification